Teaching organic synthesis at post-16

Organic synthesis is a topic that ties together many diverse aspects of organic chemistry. As students can find this topic very challenging, they should be encouraged to think more deeply when studying this by using a mixture of retrieval practice and problem-solving exercises. This article by chemistry teacher fellow Kristy Turner delves into misconceptions around this topic, identifies what students need to know, shares ways to check for understanding and provides ideas for a variety of classroom activities. Use the downloadable multiple choice quiz to engage your learners aged 16–18 years and tie organic synthesis topics together in a low-stakes’ environment.